Honest John

John Basinger was working as a nurse and heading into a predictable middle age when in June of 1987 he started running around Los Angeles telling jokes. Maybe it was a midlife crisis but John â€œwent anywhere I could get on stage. I just couldnâ€™t do it enough. I knew that this is what I was meant to do.â€ When comedian Gerald Mcquirter dragged John onstage for open mic at the Comedy Act Theater, one of the foremost black venues in the country, John â€œgot up and slammed.â€ And he was hooked. Soon Honest John became a fixture on the black circuit in the Los Angeles area. Triumphant appearances on BETâ€™s Comic View, HBOâ€™s Def Jam, and Showtime at the Apollo introduced him to fans across the country, leading to appearances at venues nationwide and a two-year run on the Def Jam tour. He has guest starred on The Jamie Foxx Show,Lyricistâ€™s Lounge and Showtime in Harlem and can be seen films like The Wash, For Da Love of Money, Foolish and other urban comedies. Honest John has done military tours in Korea and Japan and plans to do more acting and comedy specials in the future. This fall Honest John will appear on Martin Lawrence First Amendment Stand-Up on STARZ network and will film an hour long special.